Talented New Zealand rider Craig Grylls is off to a great start in Macau with another weekend double at Taipa.
Grylls , who only kicked off his three month contract a week ago, produced two powerful displays of riding for a race to race double on Friday night aboard of Luen Yat Nediym in the Class 3 & 4 over 1350 metres and Pride Of Triomphe in the Class 3 over 1050 metres.
It was the maiden win in Macau for Luen Yat Nediym who came from a long way back in the run with Grylls saving plenty of ground on the circle from the six hundred to the turn, before charging home late down the outside to win by a head from Northern Kid (W T Pao) in a great finish with only a length and a quarter separating the first five.
The win continued the good run for the Luen Yat stable under trainer Steven Choi and gave them win number 16 for the season.
Despised outsider Pride Of Triomphe belied his poor form since arriving in the enclave to power home under Grylls strong riding to score by a nose from the race favorite Sunshine Miracle (Louis Corrales) in a great three horse finish with Marunhangtung (Fausto Durso) a neck away in third.
Pride of Triomphe is prepared by Alan Tam and had two wins to his credit on the all weather in the UK at Lingfield and Wolverhampton from his 11 starts there, but had shown nothing in six runs prior in the enclave hence his starting price of $724.00.
Craig Grylls has the right bloodlines to make a top class jockey coming from one of New Zealand’s best known racing families.
Grandfather Johnny Grylls rode over 700 winners in a stellar career from the 1950s through to the 1980s.
Craig’s father Gary rode close to 1300 winners and was a regular visitor to Australia at carnival time, whilst Wallace Caddy his grandfather on his mother's side was a noted New Zealand hurdle jockey.
Grylls has put together an impressive record in just seven seasons in the saddle with over 450 winners including 19 group and listed winners.
But a career in the saddle was not always the top priority for a young Grylls.
“Dad had a farm south of Hamilton and even though I rode ponies and did some show jumping when I was growing up I always wanted to be an airline pilot.” Grylls said.
“Both the farms either side of me had airstrips and one neighbor was an airline pilot and the other was an aircraft engineer.
“From the time I was about five years old they were taking me up for joy rides and I started having flying lessons at 14 and had my license at 16."
After Grylls came out of his time in 2009 he bought his own plane, a two seater Impulse TD 100 from Germany.”
“It allows me to fly to race meetings in summertime when daylight savings in and the weathers good so it’s a bit of an added buzz.”
Grylls along with fellow New Zealander Andrew Calder - who kicked home another winner on the weekend - has been a welcome addition to the riding ranks in Macau.
* FORMER champion trainer Alan Tam enjoyed his best weekend in a while leading in four winners over the two days of racing with his winners ridden by four different jockeys’.
Tam’s winners were the UK import Pride Of Triomphe at the huge odds of 70/1 in the Class 3 at 1050 and Luck Of Smiling Class 1 over 1350 metres both on the all weather on Friday night, with Count Vesuvius (Class 5 & 6 1500) and Blue Jade Gorden (Class 4 & 5 1950 metres) on Saturday’s turf program.
Whist Count Vesuvius (Andrew Calder) and Blue Jade Gorden (Martin Cangas) won with ease, the win of super sand sprinter Luck Of Smiling was nothing short of outstanding.
Racegoers were anticipating a great match between Luck Of Smiling and rising star the one eyed galloper Sino Brilhante, but it was all Luck Of Smiling who jogged up front under Charles Perkins before bounding away from Sino Brilhante at the top of the straight to score the softest of wins.
A son of Elusive City, Luck Of Smiling was originally purchased by John Hawkes as a yearling in New Zealand before being sold onto his original trainer Patrick Lee.
Lee won three races on the all weather with Luck Of Smiling before he was transferred to Tam back in 2011. Under Tam’s guidance the gelding has really blossomed winning another eight races and climbing from a rating of 84 to 127 after Friday night’s victory.
Sino Brilhante under Stanley Chin weakened to finish fourth beaten almost six lengths in a run that was totally out of character for the gelding.
Traditionally a slow beginner, Sino Brilhante left the gates smartly and was part of a rush of four horses to the first corner. From then the three year old raced fiercely and was a spent force soon after straightening.
Trainer Gary Moore advised the Sino Brilhante pulled up sound and with no ill effects and intends to push on with his plans to run him in the Star River-Windsor Arch Sand Classic on Macau- Hong Kong Trophy day April 21st.
“It was a run totally out of character for him. He’s pulled up well and I will not alter my plans.” Moore said.”
“If anything had lightened off a touch on me, but he still went lengths below his best, we will freshen him and up and keep looking ahead.”
Riding honors for the weekend went to Roger Yu with a winning treble over the two days on Golden Barrister in the Class 5 over 1600 on the sand, Sunshine Rhythm in the Class 0 to 50 for 2 & 3 year olds over 1100 turf, and Turquoise Dragon in the Class 5 over 1200 metres turf.
Charles Perkins also made in a double on Friday night with Windicatorr Returns scoring an easy win in the Class 4 & 5 over 1050 metres before winning the last on Luck Of Smiling.
